Crime Theories of Durkheim and Robert King Merton Essay

Crime Theories of Durkheim and Robert King Merton - Essay Example Durkheim's most significant theoretical contribution to the field of criminology is his formulation of the concept of anomie. According to Durkheim's theory, society has the need and the moral right to regulate the behavior of its citizens. When society is in a state of rapid transition, the rules of society break down and people no longer can appraise their situation, "ambition was perpetually stimulated but never satisfied (Walter 1972). This condition Durkheim called "acute anomie" (Gottfredson and Hirsch 1990, p. 54). Chronic anomie occurs when overwhelming importance is attached to economic progress as the supreme goal in and of itself and secondary consideration is given to the regulation of human conduct and the control of individual ambition. These conditions which prevailed in the nineteenth century contributed significantly to the variety of social problems observed in that society (Durkheim 1992). According to Merton's theory, deviance is most likely in societies in which success is a major societal objective but where many of the inhabitants are unable to acquire the material possessions or social status that denote success. His theoretical argument is formulated in terms of the societally recognized goals that individuals strive for and the institutionalized means used to regulate access to these desired objectives (Gottfredson and Hirsch 1990). Merton recognizes that these goals and means are not equally available to all individuals because of the differentiated class and ethnic structure of American society. Striving for success within a society that is achievement oriented, some individuals for whom traditional paths to achievement are closed follow illegitimate or deviant means to attain success within that society Although this theory was originally developed in terms of American society, it has been applied to many of the world's other industrialized societies as an e xplanation of the persistence of criminal behavior (Merton 1967). The other similarity between Durkheim and Merton is an understanding social impact on an individual and his behavior. The possibility of varied acquaintances in modern, complex society led to the formulation of the theory of differential association, which holds that criminal behavior is learned through interaction with others. The extent to which criminal norms and habits are acquired is determined by the intensity and duration of the association. The mechanisms for learning criminal behavior are no different from any other kinds of learning. Briefly, stealing is no more motivated by the desire for material goods than is honest employment. In the latter case, however, the individual is sufficiently committed to the society's norms and values to channel his desires through legitimate means while in the former case, the individual will pursue his goals by illegitimate methods (Gottfredson and Hirsch 1990). In contrast to Durkheim, Merton underlines that anomie theory addresses the impact of urban life on modern man suggesting that conflicts often arise in contemporary society because what man strives to attain is not accessible to him. This situation is characteristic solely of modern society because limited social mobility existed before the advent of

The Singapore An Aging Population Economics Essay

The Singapore An Aging Population Economics Essay Ageing is the accumulation of physical, physiological and social changes in a person over time. It is a phenomenon that every individual is bound to experience. Therefore, it is only natural for one to hope to live in a society that respects, supports and caters to various needs of the elderly. Today, governments around the world are facing the tough challenge of providing adequate healthcare and housing for the elderly. Due to the possible ineffective allocation of funds or the lack of concern for its elderly citizens by the government, there is a possibility that a large proportion of the aged are neglected and are left scrounging for basic necessities while struggling with myriad health issues associated with age. Singapore currently has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. However, it also has an extremely low birth rate and an appallingly high rate of ageing. Approximately 10% of the population of 5 million is aged over 65. This figure will increase to about 25% by the year 2020. With such shocking statistics, many questions come to mind. A young man may worry about how he will find the means to support his elderly parents as well as his own family.   A woman close to retirement may be concerned about her future and wonder whether she would have to perform menial jobs to make ends meet. It is the duty of any government to give priority to the needs and demands of its citizens and take steps to address them. Thus, Singapores Government has to formulate policies that address the possible problems of an aging population and take preventive measures to counter the same. Stakeholders Involved Before attempting to solve the problems of Singapores aging population, it is critical to identify the stakeholders involved. By studying the effects of an ageing population on these stakeholders, the potentially negative effects of this issue can be mitigated, and future problems can be anticipated. Especially with the ever-changing social demographics and economic conditions, the inter-connectedness of the pressure which an aging population would exert on our country as a whole should not be underestimated, especially during the phase when identified secondary social stakeholders transit to primary social stakeholders. Primary stakeholders include: 1) Senior citizens Senior citizens are the very group of people to experience the most impact as their well-being is at stake. General concerns for these group of stakeholders include: Would the future generations be able to support the increasing proportion of senior citizens? Are infrastructure and public services elderly-friendly? Will the Singapore Government introduce more schemes and policies aimed at improving the situation? 2) Working Singaporeans As an ageing population increases demand for healthcare and other services, the financial pressure on Singaporeans rises too as the taxes they contribute to support these services increases. This decreases the income they bring home and directly affects their spending power. 3) Singapore Government With a shrinking workforce, a drop in the economic growth rate is inevitable. The government is responsible for the introduction of suitable policies to contain the situation. Besides, the government has to ensure that Singaporeans adopt an optimistic view on the matter and create nation-wide awareness on the impacts of an ageing population. Secondary stakeholders include: 1) Future generations Currently, the implications of an ageing population have yet to fully present themselves and the Singapore Government is absorbing most of the effects at current situation. However, if statistical studies prove right and the proportion of senior citizens to working Singaporeans increases, the effects would be more severe and Singaporeans would have to share the burden of supporting the ageing population in later years. Therefore, our future generations will also face the same negative effects of the ageing population that current Singaporeans face. 2) Businesses As Singapores population is growing older, there will be a relatively fewer number of people in the working sector. Businesses and organisations will be affected by the lack of young and skilled workers. As a result, additional funds may have to be spent on trainings to help the older workers master new skills. Furthermore, due to higher taxes burden on households,   purchasing power of individuals will decrease significantly. This will eventually affect the growth of businesses. The secondary stakeholders neither directly affected nor involved in the problem. Future generations have yet to be affected by the problem of ageing. When the situation worsens in future, our descendants will have to support their elders and will also be affected by higher taxes. They will subsequently become primary stakeholders. As we can see, large sections of the society are affected by this issue and will continue to be affected by the continuous increase of ageing population. Hence, immediate steps have to be taken in order to minimize the damages caused by this issue. Figure 1 (insert) The Implications Of An Aging Population Singapore has one of the highest proportions of elderly citizens in the world, and second only to Japan in South East Asia. (Suan Ee Ong, 2010). http://www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/reference/sif2012.pdf 1. Society The Declining Standards of an Individuals Health Research suggests that as individuals age, they are increasingly prone to numerous health risks. The risk of malnutrition heightens with age with 3 in 10 elderly at high risk. (http://www.asicluster3.com/blog_self/index.php?page=viewentryid=133)   As a person ages, problems like diabetes or parkinsons sets in, along with dietary restrictions. One can also expect an overall deteriorating quality of physical health. For instance, psychomotor skills deteriorate, resulting in stifled physical independence.   Osteoporosis, a disease in which causes the bones to become less dense affects large numbers of our elderly. Additionally, mental health starts deteriorating with the onset of illnesses like dementia and depression. As one ages, quality of health will undoubtedly follows a downward trend. Coupled with an increasing number of citizens aged 65 and above. this leads to a decrease in the standard of health over a period of time. This would in turn give rise to new industries and businesses revolving around health care, with niche specialisations in care for the aged. It is important for the society   to provide services that target the aged. Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that not all of   the aged will be in need of health care services if society helped them lead an active lifestyle. Therefore, the population growth forecasted in future years, urban economic countries will lack the appeal to attract immigrants. (Kresl, Peter Karl Letri, Daniele (2010)) Being a small country with low birth rate, Singapore may face some challenges in attracting foreign talent to our city in future. Therefore, our society may face difficulties in employing a sufficiently skilled workforce to maximise output. Effects On Future Generations As the population ages, there will be an increasing demand for goods and services in the healthcare sector. A governments duty is to serve its people, and society as a whole would expect basic health care services to be provided. Consequently, there will be   increased pressure on the government to provide for health care. Monetary costs would be incurred and would be passed on to society in the form of increased taxes. With the dismal birth rates we see today (1.22 births per woman in 2011, down from 1.83 in 1990), tax burdens on future generations (who will then become primary social stakeholders) will only increase as time goes by. (Department of Statistics Singapore. (2012)) There is an inverse relationship between the dependency ratio (percentage of the population who are too old or too young to work) and birth rate of a country. Naturally, an increasing dependency ratio can be attributed   to a declining birth rate.   If the birth rate continues to stagnate or drop, the dependency ratio would only increase at a faster rate in the future. This translates into a heavier burden on the working population to maintain economic growth and to provide for dependent citizens. The Reverence of The Silver Generation to Society It is evident that the elderly exert a major influence on our social fabric. They carry with them the cultures, traditions and values that make our country what it is today. The hard work and time that they put in to raise educated, motivated and refined citizens of this generation is the reason why our country has reached this level of success. As the saying goes, with time comes wisdom. Therefore, the silver generation is much revered, and as per asian cultures, due respect and care should be given to them. As the elderly before us have served the country by contributing to it in various aspects, Singapores government should have a sense of filial piety to them. Since the government is a primary social stakeholder involved in the issue of an ageing population, it has introduced many government initiatives to solve arising problems. Summing Up To handle the implications of an aging population, we should seek to improve elderly standards of living and encourage them to contribute to society even at an age past retirement. The government should also take up initiatives to help senior citizens fit in and continue to be part of the workforce even at a ripe old age. 2. Businesses Due to the rapid growth of an ageing population, there are certain issues that may arise. Productivity Issues In Organisations A large proportion of senior citizens in a population indicates a decline in size of a productive workforce.   According to the UNs latest biennial population forecast, the median age for all countries will rise from 29 to 38 years by 2050. (SOURCE) We may safely assume that the dependency ratio will increase dramatically over the next few decades. Organizations looking to expand productivity would be reluctant to hire older workers. Those following a profit maximising model opine that it would be more cost efficient to hire younger workers due to their higher productivity. Additionally, during periods of recession, more often than not, older workers are among the top few in the retrenchment list. However, this contrasts   the fact that older workers bring with them a plethora of experience and wisdom, which can only be gained over time.   Despite cost inefficiency, it is unfair to be against the notion of hiring of older workers. Singapores government foresaw these issues and implemented new legislations to curb age discrimination at the workplace. As of 1 Jan 2012, under the Retirement and Re-employment Act (RRA), the statutory retirement age was set at 62, and companies have to offer re-employment contracts to workers up to the age of 65. http://www.mom.gov.sg/employment-practices/employment-rights-conditions/retirement/Pages/retirement.aspx With these new initiatives, it can be seen that the government is indirectly engaging all business organisations through legislation. These businesses, which were once secondary social stakeholders, are now evolving into primary social stakeholders in this issue of an aging population. Increase In Demand For Health Care   Elderly-Specific Facilities Many countries, including Singapore, have been working towards providing better care, not just in clinics and hospitals, but also within the community and at home. To enhance accessibility for the elderly, the government has taken up many initiatives and projects to improve   living conditions for the elderly. For example, the Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme implemented by Singapore government introduced slip-resistant bathrooms and even installed grab bars within flats. Other projects include life upgradation, building   of   barrier-free features such as ramps and the levelling of steps . In order to provide a more accessible healthcare services, the Singapore government has given more emphasis on home and community-based services, which include the expansion of social rehabilitative care places . More subsidies have also been introduced to support the poor and those from middle-income families.    The growing ageing   population has resulted in the growing demand for facilities and the expansion of subsidies which is putting great pressure on government. Government spending on health care is estimated to increase even further in the future   as more money is required to support new initiatives and expansion of the existing initiatives. There is also a need to hire more health professionals, for which more resources and funds are required. As a result, the allocation of the budget towards healthcare is expected to rise as related spending would increase to about twice by 2030. http://www.asiaone.com/Business/News/My+Money/Story/A1Story20080627-73309.html 3. Government Government policies not only have a positive impact on the lives of the elderly, but may also have a negative impact on businesses. Business owners may feel restricted by such employment policies and may decide to move out of Singapore. They may also stop supporting the government in the elections . The government relies heavily on taxes from small and large businesses for its sources of revenue. If these businesses were to change location or move out of Singapore due to restrictive policies, revenues would fall. A drop in revenue would mean that the government has less to spend on other facilities for its people. Furthermore, relocation of businesses would result in widespread loss of local jobs. The result is a higher dependency ratio, higher unemployment rate, less revenue for the government and the slowing down of the economy. Thus, the government should ensure that any policy related to ageing does not anger or upset the sentiments of various businesses and should keep in mind what is at stake. Summing Up Let us consider the repercussive chain of effects of aging population. Firstly the number of people in the workforce would drop, with a corresponding increase in the dependency ratio. This translates into a drop in output /productivity of individual businesses and the economy as a whole. As Singapores GDP is very dependant on both our import/export sectors and consumerism this could cause Singapores economy to go into a slowdown. One might argue that there would be an increase in the growth due to the consumption of more healthcare. However the drops in productivity would be greater than the increase in consumption of healthcare. Eventually, there will be an increased burden on the current workforce to maintain economic growth. Finally, if nothing is done, a vicious cycle commences, and future generations would find it increasingly difficult to provide for the previous generations and support the economy. (Picture Singapores indicator of ageing) Actions Taken By Singapores Government Singapores government recognises that the increase in the ageing population will lead to several consequences that will affect all sections of society, as well as the economy of the country. Hence, in order to support the older population, the government has put in place various policies and introduced new   schemes. In 2004, the government set up the Committee on Aging Issues. This committee comprised of   private and government representatives who came together to discuss issues related to ageing.   The recommendations for solutions related to these issues were presented in a report and were passed for implementation. They aimed at enhancing employability, improving healthcare facilities, promoting active lifestyles and financial independence. The government also aims at establishing concrete facts about our population and conducts frequent surveys to gauge the physical and mental health of seniors. It also identifies areas to improve the wellbeing of its citizens. (Reference: http://app1.mcys.gov.sg/Portals/0/Topic/Issues/EDGD/Brief%20on%20Ageing%20Population%20(Public).pdf) 1. Housing As seen from Figure 1 (Singapore: Indicators of Ageing), the proportion of Singaporeans aged 65 and above will significantly rise in the coming years. Hence, there is a need for the government to introduce schemes that provide adequate housing that caters to the needs of elderly such as their health, mobility and security, which is of utmost importance. Some schemes that the government introduced were the Multi-Generation Flats in 1987 and Granny Flats in 1991. However, they were not very well received. A more successful initiative was the implementation of Project LIFE ( Lift Improvement and Facilities Enhancement for Elderly). (Reference: http://asiaforum.tsaofoundation.org/pdfDownloads/Day1/D1_plenary/plenarySession_1/Housing%20developments%20for%20ageing%20population%20in%20Spore%20-%20yap%20chin%20beng.pdf) This proposal aims at creating lifts in Housing Development Board (HDB) flats so that every floor is serviced, for the convenience of the elderly and the handicapped. The government expects complete adoption of this plan in all HDB flats by 2014. In addition, integrated studio apartments were also incorporated into each housing block and came with spaces for social and communal gatherings. In the year 2011, the government introduced the idea of barrier-free housing environments which involved the building of handicap ramps and pathways to facilitate easy movement of wheelchairs. Therefore, continuous modification of housing landscapes aims at meeting the needs of citizens and to provide a comfortable shelter for each and every senior citizen. 2. Transport Public transport has also seen improvements and is somewhat more elder-friendly. In 2006, MRT stations were modified and made barrier free. Today, approximately forty percent of our buses are wheelchair accessible. 3. Encouraging re-employment Due to the negative impacts of ageing population on the workforce productivity, the government has seen the importance to tackle on this problem so as to sustain economic growth. Hence, the 2005 appointment of a Tripartite Committee (government, employers and trade union) on Employability of Older Workers by the Minister for Manpower addressed the issue by implementing several measures (Thang, L. (2011)). One of the measures is the the enactment of Retirement and Re-Employment Act (RRA) which was put into effect on 1 Jan 2012. The Tripartite Committee formed the Tripartite Implementation Workgroup to help employers carry out this initiative. In October 2007, the Tripartite Implementation Workgroup formed by the Tripartite Committee was to assist companies in the implementation of the re-employment measures. In order to further encourage the implementation of re-employment schemes for older workers, companies were given financial support of up to $400,000 for policies that were placed in line with the re-employment legislation. Workforce Development Agency also subsidized the re-training programmes that were put in place by employers. in addition, Continuing Education and Training (CET) master plan was launched in 2008 by the Ministry of Manpower to provide trainings for employees so that they will be equipped with skills that keep up with the pace of the fast-growing industries. While the government attempts to encourage re-employment of older workers, they have to ensure that younger employees and employers are willing to accept them. This is because older workers are generally perceived as unproductive and inflexible. Hence, measures have been put in place foster an age-friendly working environment. This is done by introducing national awards to acknowledge companies with the most progressive and unbiased practices. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) has also put in place many guidelines to advocate on fairness and to discourage discrimination of the old-aged employees. (Thang, L. (2011)) Hence, by encouraging the older employees to continue working, and   by changing mindsets to accept older workers, Singapores workforce and output can be maintained at the current level of integrity. The Tripartite Implementation Workgroup was a relative success as by February 2009, 706 unionized companies have committed to re employment while 4650 workers over age 62 were re-employed by the end of 2008. (Thang, L. (2011)) 4. Ensuring financial stability for the aged Due to the decreasing fertility rate in Singapore, there will be a heavier financial burden on the future generations, and it is possible that the older generation may not be financially independent. The Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) Scheme was introduced in 2007 to ensure that Singaporeans will have sufficient savings for their retirement. This scheme encourages the older workers who are earning low-paying salary to continue working so that they can accumulate more CPF savings.   In order to supplement higher take-home pay and reduced CPF rates, the Government began to give elderly workers part of the WIS in cash so that they can afford for their basic needs. (Reference:http://mycpf.cpf.gov.sg/Members/Gen-Info/Workfare.html) Furthermore, due to the increase in life expectancy, the government plans to increase the Minimum Sum Draw-Down age from 62 to 65 by the year 2018. There were also plans to introduce a longevity insurance scheme. This will ensure that CPF members can be assured of a basic income as long as they live. (Reference:http://app1.mcys.gov.sg/Portals/0/Summary/pressroom/03-2008.pdf) 5. Healthcare In face of the current trend that can be observed in Singapore, it is essential that healthcare services are improved to cater to the needs of the older population. Thus, the Ministry of Health introduced a Chronic Disease Management Programme which empowered physicians to adopt a holistic approach in the treatment of diseases. Furthermore, the ElderShield Scheme for the disabled was enhanced in 2007 to help increase affordability of medical services by paying $400 per month for up to 6 years. There was a 60% improvement from the previous scheme.    http://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/costs_and_financing/schemes_subsidies/ElderShield.html In addition, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) are also conducting   a review of eldercare services aimed at bettering facilities such as daycare centres, rehabilitation centres and home help services . The concept of active ageing was developed by the European Commission in 2002. It brings forward the idea of higher retirement age and longer period of activity in the workforce. It has been proven that leading an active and directional life improves the overall well-being of an individual and helps keep illnesses and diseases at bay. Active ageing was introduced by the Singapore government in order to ensure self sufficiency of citizens after retirement. It established the Council for Third Age(C3A) in May 2007 to promote active ageing and fund community-based events related to active ageing. In addition, due to the increase in degenerative diseases that require expensive treatment, the concept of active ageing is gaining more importance. It is said that the cost of treatment for the older generation will cost two to three times more than that needed for the younger population. (Reference: http://www.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20071031-33327.html) What Does the Future Hold? Our population is ageing at a rate faster than in countries such as Australia, South Korea, UK and the USA. (ref first article in dropbox) . The number of citizens aged 65 and above will show a sevenfold increase by the year 2050. So what does this mean for our future? Firstly, our country will be more prone to external invasion. Presence of an ageing population is an indicator that our defense is weakening. We will have fewer young people to fill the ranks of the army, and fewer physically fit citizens to defend us in times of need. Our future and survival will be threatened. Secondly, economic growth will slow down. Singapore will no longer be seen as a hub of young, talented and competitive individuals by global MNCs. They may no longer want to invest and set up their offices here. Furthermore, with fewer individuals to pay income taxes, the government will have less money to spend on healthcare, infrastructure,etc. As a result, taxes will increase, leaving people less to spend on themselves and their family. The demand for healthcare services will rise, but will not be sufficiently subsidised by a government which does not have enough resources. Singapore is at the brink of entering a vicious cycle . If immediate short-term and long-term measures are not taken, we are bound to find ourselves moving backwards and reaching a rate of growth similar to what we had many decades ago. Our recommendations 1. Enhancing senior citizens value in the organization through empowerment In line with the re-employment policies the government has in place, we suggest that organizations create appointments and titles specially aimed at empowering senior citizens. They should ensure that   these creations are aligned with the capabilities of these senior citizens. Likewise, existing positions should   be modified according to their capabilities. The purpose of this   is to enhance their value and well-being in the workplace where they are often regarded as liabilities more than assets. With such initiatives, senior citizens will be able to perform better, with more flexibility and recognition within the organization. This also widens the operating structure of organizations, allowing for more variety of specialization. At the same time, organizations could tap into their experience and expertise, especially for crisis management and advisory roles. Even within the Singapore Cabinet, forefather Lee Kuan Yew is still actively involved in local politics at the age of 89 and the titles Minister Mentor and Senior Minister were specially created to continuously empower him. 2. Continuous active promotion of healthy aging from small communities Presently, Senior Citizens Executive Committees (SCECs) under the Peoples Association (PA), the largest senior citizens network in Singapore, organizes a wide variety of activities and courses aimed at enhancing senior citizens life experiences. They are usually conducted at a national level, and seldom reach out to the smaller communities. The government could engage Resident Committees (RCs) and Community Centres (CCs) in neighbourhoods to aid in promoting healthy aging. Subsidised or sponsored activities could be one alternative to attract senior citizens to actively exercise healthy aging. Constant awareness can be achieved through newsletters and pamphlets mailed to letterboxes. 3. Strengthening family ties It is important for our society to realise the value and importance of senior citizens. They should not be viewed as burdens; instead they should be seen as extraordinary citizens who brought us as well as our country to the position we are in today. Hence, it is expected that we, the younger generation, give them the deserved care and respect without any ulterior motive in mind. We feel that the indoctrination of these strong values should begin at a young age.   Special programmes should be introduced into schools in order to promote togetherness within the family. Children should be educated about the importance of elders in society and should be taught to always show them respect and kindness. The media can also play a role an important in this process by occasionally publishing articles that portray the elderly in a good light.

Myth Or Reality, Todays Perception On Monsters :: essays research papers

Myth or Reality, Today's Perception on Monsters Monsters, which are seemingly just myth and fantasy, do have some truths to their legend. In fact, some creatures may have actually existed and still do today, even though they should not be percieved as monsters. What if the stories of a giant "ape-like" creature that have circulated over the globe for centuries were true? There have been numerous sightings and first-hand accounts of this creature everywhere in the world, from the United States to the Himalayas. One of the more famous sightings took place at Bluff Creek in 1967. Roger Patterson and a friend were horse back riding when they saw a huge hair covered creature. It began to run away when it noticed the two men, but not before Roger shot some film of the creature. The creature that was filmed was a female, while you cannot see in this view, breasts are clearly visable in other frames of the film. Scientists who have studied the film have said that the estimated stride of the creature is larger than that of a man. They also say it would have been very difficult for a man to simulate this larger stride. Footprints were the same type as typically found at a Bigfoot sighting. A more recent sighting of Bigfoot took place last year on July 11, in the Wild Creek area in the foothills of Snoqualmie National Forest.The picture was obtained from the photographer bt Cliff Crook, the director of Bigfoot Central. The cameraman was out on a hike when he heard splashing coming from the stream below him. He then found himself face to face with the creature. Usually after most sightings, footprints of the usually large creatures can be found. Footprints have been found everywhere including at these two mentioned sightings. The length of the prints has varied between 1' to 2.5' indicating from scientific study that Bigfoot could be as tall as nine feet. Also the deep inprint that is left indicates that the creature could weigh as much as 600 pounds. Researchers at Ohio State University hope to come within a hair of verifying the existence of Bigfoot. Scientists are using a new DNA matching process to determine whether there may be more to the Sasquatch legend than some blurry film footage and a few giant footprints. The evidence consists of two tufts of hair, each withabout a dozen individual strands, recovered in Washington State after a recent sighting. "This is the first time that I'm aware of that anybody will be able to do any DNA extractions

Non-Art in Popular Culture Essay

When discussing art in popular culture there are very few boundaries to adhere to. Almost any form of media can be considered as art. But not all works are good examples of art and there are several determining factors that help to decide on the artistic quality of a piece. This essay will discuss in response to the above quote the identifiable characteristics of what could be considered art in contemporary pop culture. It will deconstruct the some of the most prominent types of art in popular culture including street art, music video and advertisements or commercial art. And under which circumstances are they considered to be art whether this is the intention of the piece, or the creative process that surrounds it or simply the aesthetic values that it holds. It will also discuss if works produced solely for commercial propaganda are still considered art. And if the artistic values of the work are influenced on the environment in which it resides. These three determining factors will help distinguish between art and non art in contemporary pop culture. Art in popular culture varies widely in a range of creative forms and media. Popular culture or ‘pop’ culture has a heavy influence on much of the works that are created by artists today. (Gibbons, 2005, p. 1) These include all forms of street and public art including graffiti and stencil art that often make statements on pop culture. And also in a more formal environment including galleries and art museums where there is a large array of contemporary works which reflect on these elements of consumerism. There are numerous well recognised artists that have concentrated much of their practice on consumerism and culture. Andy Warhol, is a founder in bringing consumerism to the high art scene in the 1960’s (Livingstone 1992), something that had not being done before. A more recent take on this concept is Takashi Murakami and the art movement ‘Super Flat’ which concentrates on Japanese pop culture and particularly anime and manga. (n. a 2009 Superflat art) Art is not only influenced by popular culture but it makes up a large part of influential media for popular culture. This form of art can be recognised directly in advertising, music, music videos, cartoons and any other form of media that creatively puts forth a message, more often that not for commercial propaganda. This is not always the case but this lower form of more accessible art is completely open to the public because it is not hemmed in by the confines or â€Å"laws† of the gallery system or the museum. (Stowers 1997) And it quite often forced into peoples lives, by occurring in a public space society are forced into viewing these creative works that promote popular culture through advertisements billboards television radio and generally in any public space just as they are exposed to graffiti art and vandalism. More often than not the environment in which the artwork resides in impacts the values that people give the piece but this is not the only thing that should be considered when depicting the piece as several factors impact the merit of the work. These can include the creative process involved, the purpose of the work and the aesthetic values of the final piece. (Johnstone 2006) The creative process that is involved in creating an art piece may have huge effects on the final outcome. In some cases it’s the process that is the work, in others cases it can be just important in developing the meanings and values behind the work and also some pieces may not be understood fully until the intentional processes are understood. The creative process has being described in four steps these are Preparation, Incubation, Illumination and Implementation. (Charlie, 2008) Going through this four step process is not always occur consciously but has an impact on the outcomes. (Konradsson 1999) Pieces that do not have a creative intention or process behind them can be severely limited in creative outcome and therefore have limited merit as art. In this case it severely relies on the aesthetic values that other people then place on the work. And if it has little appeal in terms of colour, line, balance, rhythm and other principles and elements and no creative meaning then is generally not considered to be art. The purpose of the work can also impact the process of how a piece is created. Depending on whether it is for commercial use or purely artistic intentions there can be a lengthy design process which is very calculated in terms of design. The final impact the work is strongly controlled through the elements and principles of design. This is generally used in commercial art such as illustration, graphic design, and advertising and communication media. All these forms of creative work hold artistic value but are not necessarily considered art to the general public as it is not presented as art but takes on a different primary form, advertising. (Gibbons 2005) This is a similar concept as street art or graffiti as it generally seen as a form of vandalism and can be considered as an eyesore. Though people are more likely to see graffiti for its artistic values and intentions as it dose not generally hold the same connotation as advertising. The reasons and values for why one might engage in graffiti art are as varied as the artists who produce it. A chief reason is the â€Å"prospect of fame and recognition of one’s artistic talent. Graffiti is also a form of self expression. The art as â€Å"writing† is a creative method of communicating with other writers and the general public. † (Stowers 1997) What it communicates is the artist’s identity, expression, and ideas like all other art forms but is forced into the public eye unlike art in a gallery. Graffiti is fast becoming popular as a preferred art form of many contemporary artists and hold the same fundamental artistic intentions as any other art form. As art we see in galleries have purely the intentions of being art we are more likely to consider that it is art. (Hester 2007) And we find some way of connecting to it via feeling and aesthetic value or the appreciation of the process. The placement of a piece in relation to its surroundings also impacts on the effect it has for example seeing an advertising piece in a gallery we would assume it to be art and created to make a statement about advertising. Where as if it were to be place on a billboard we would consider the primary reason is the promotion of a particular product. It is very difficult to define what art is exactly. According to many artistic directors and critics there is not one single definition of art. Art historian Robert Rosenblum believes that â€Å"the idea of defining art is so  remote [today]† that he doesn’t think â€Å"anyone would dare to do it. † (Witcombe n. d)And that more or less anything can be considered as art. † (Witcombe n. d) Goldman’s aesthetic theory (2005, 345) is of use to clarify the problem of location and presentation in relation to graffiti art. Goldman ( 2005, 346) claims that ‘art takes us to other worlds in a manner that is quite fulfilling sensually and aesthetically’ The are many determining factors that help us see the artistic values in works how we as individuals read and interpret these through out the work is a matter of pure personal opinion. Some personal factors that establish our opinions on creative works are our knowledge and understanding of art or a piece in particular, likes and dislikes and how we relate to the piece. This combined with the values of the piece that include; the process, the intention, the environment in which it is placed and the visual aesthetic values of the work determine how we personally consider the impact of the work. Many people consider art as something appealing to the eye or ear but much of contemporary art is not like this and a greater understanding of the work is needed to gain an insight to the values is holds. (n. a. 2009) For most people when art becomes hard or impossible to understand right away we tend to question its merit. This is particularly the case for graffiti as some may argue (Stowers 1997) even when it is in a gallery environment it is too hard to understand, though this should not be a determining factor to deciding whether is considered art as many art work considers deeper intrinsic values. Most of the opposition to graffiti art is due to ‘its location and bold, unexpected, and unconventional presentation,’ (Stowers 1997) but its presentation and often illegal location does not necessarily disqualify it as art either. The major determining factor is the creative value â€Å"the ability to produce complicated pieces is what separates the tagger from the graffiti artist; graffitist for short. Taggers scribble and graffitists do art. † (Stowers 1997) So as we can see there are many different forms of art in contemporary pop culture including those that are influenced by pop culture and those that influence pop culture. These can be all forms of Digital Media, advertising, illustration and music as well as art we see in galleries and street art. Not all have the primary purpose of being art but all hold artistic and creative values that can be seen through the process the intention the aesthetic qualities and the surrounding of the work. Some seem to have the primary purpose of being only art while others are created for commercial propaganda. While the pieces that are generally considered art by the public, have a better aesthetic quality and are initially easier to understand there can not be any set connotations as to what it to be determined as art or non art. And that it is purely what importance, feelings and values the individual viewing the work sees. Reference List Charlie, 2008. Demystifying the Creative Process http://www. productiveflourishing. com/demystifying-the-creative-process/ (accessed 28/04/2010) Gibbons,J. 2005 Art and Advertising. P. 1-12 New York: I. B Tauris & co Ltd Goldman, A. 2005. Aesthetic Qualities and Aesthetic Value . in Aesthetics critical concept in philosophy J. O Young, p. 345-349 Oxon: Routledge. Hester, N 2007. Low and High: What is Art Anyhow  http://www.monstersandcritics.com/

Indigenous Tradition Essay

In the past people have mistaken about their tradition Indigenous originality or occurring naturally (country, region etc) To be indigenous kinship (relation to one another) and location(connection of particular place) Indigenous religion beliefs, experience and practices concerning non-falsifiable realities of people who have kinship and location Syncretism: Syncretism merging of elements from different religions. Eg : north American tradition have been influenced by Christianity, some African rituals are influences by Islam. * Change occurs everywhere. * Traditions are less authentic (accurate) than thousands year ago Indigenous can be found anywhere: * Anishinaubae: drumming ceremony in Toronto * Yoruba: Funeral rites in London * Maori: Purification ritual in opera house Sydney Australia Misconceptions * Common to Indigenous traditions is colonialism * Oglala (Indigenous community) –> a theorist explained them as â€Å"warriors without weapons basically they were incapable to adapting a new economy lifestyle they focused on how to make them â€Å"modern Indians† * Outsider lack insider knowledge. * Scholars often used terms such as fetish, myth, mana, taboo to explain Indigenous traditions. * Eg â€Å" Indigenous stories are called myth where the bible is considered to be true. Primitive Cultures that are unchanged from the beginning primitive Christians, who believed in god and their tradition, had superiority and began to spread their religion to who didn’t know about gospel Indigenous traditions are tend to think more primitive — Due to non-literate * But writing to not better than oral speaking * Mayan did use writing * Most Indigenous people are very literate. Indigenous tradition are tend to think more primitive – consider everything to be sacred (untrue) * Eg : Navajo : ceremony that transforms normal house into a scared place. So everything such as eating, sleeping is considered to be sacred. * Australian aborigine knows where to pray(know the difference between sacred and non sacred mountains) Primitive term is now disagreeing by many scoloars Mohawk and Cree (Dr Clare Brant) Mohawk: Indigenous traditions who give more food to their guest to show their wealth. Cree: Indigenous tradition who eat all the food offered to show scarcity. These two traditions did not go well together and this shows that Indigenous traditions are different from each other. Another point is that we see other cultures according to our own cultures. Gender roles: * Male: hunting and warfare * Female: healing and food preparation * Maori carvers were men and weavers were women. Bunu men frow cotton and women turn it into clothes. * Sometimes the roles switch just like other traditions * Usually religions practices are different for men and woman too. Power of speech Oral speaking is very imp for Indigenous traditions things are passed down oraly. Many people think oral primitive (untrue). Both Quran and Bible was passed down orally before written into text Stories : After life : * Kewa: a man finds a tunnel where his dead people wre living together and they gave them many things and asks him not to speak of it. When he goes and tell everyone about the tunnel, he breaks the promise and when he returns the tunnel is gone. * Anishinaubae : young man fiance died, and he go on a journey to find her and when he found her , he returns home heartbroken, keeping his promise. * These stories tell us about importance of relationships tell us about how we should live than about dying Writing stores often â€Å"fixed in time†. Trickster: * Considered as â€Å"culture heroes† because they are the central figures in many stores * Usually shape shift usually into animals * Can change genders sometime biological and sometime just clothes changing * Outer form is reflected into infidelity * They can appear as fools, selfish, kind, scandalous etc. * Usually driven by self interest alone * Trickster stores show us how we should behave and how we should not * The stories often explain the origins of world and connect to a community more deeply. * Embodies the extremes of humanity: human weakness and strength Practice (rituals). Indigenous tradition rituals are very similar to our traditions * Rituals remind us on what is imp in our life. * In religious terms, rituals, communicate some ways with gods, ancestor and spirits. * Rituals are roots in the human needs and relationship Rituals : * Every rituals varies * Usually involves food Muslim and Jews have specific food eating habits * Many Buddhist set food portions aside for ancestors * Anishinaubae put small amount of food for the spirits * Some rituals are more complicated * Such as marriage, death, birth * Sometimes these rituals mark transformation and sometimes they help to bring the transformation about. * Indigenous tradition rituals serve in some ways to recreate some aspects of the world, order and life Journey: * Going on a journey/quest: rites of passage * Journey to a new place is where a transformation occurs. * The person returns home with physical change, such as tattoo, scar or a body part to symbolize their new self. * Pondos: moved into a special hut to become sacred healers- if they go into town before they must be covered in white * White usually symbolize the color of transformation in Africa * Anishinaubae vision quest – yong man travels far away from home only with water and be completely alone. Then late he become a â€Å"adult man† and comes home with food and the ritual is complete . Sacrifice Mel Gibson: sacrifices in Indigenous traditions are vey common Bear sacrifice: raise a young cub, and raise it for two day and kill it. Head is emptied and filled with flowers and then the animal is cooked and eaten. They think that the bear is the gold’s spirit and they see it as freeing the spirit. Sun dance : dance till days and community provide support. Some sun dance involves sacrifice . the pole and lodge are buil to show the creation of the world Nuer : sacrifice ox for healing. Xhosa : when a woman fall ill the community gathers and kill a cow and do many rituals. This is due their thinking that the ancestor or spirit is angry with the women. * above rituals shows the involvement of community even though there is sacrifice involved. * The rituals ultimately brings people together * Sacrifice like rituals create order and meaning * Those rituals join people to the past and respond to current situation Cultural Expression What you see is not always what you get Art in Indigenous traditions is aout relationship objects are coonected to people Weaving : * Intertwine and connect * Weavers work together , helping one another , passing knowledge. * Shows bonds among people Maori Tradition : * All weavers are female * A girl is said all about weaving more said more discouraged if people saw true commitment then they let the girl into whare pora(caretakers of the weaving) * Whare pora have rules no sex before dying, no food allowed during weaving, special garment should be weaved during the day and not strangets can view the weaving * Traditional colors : black, red and white * Sacred thread is sewed on all garments to show the bond Underlying cloth : * Clothing declare who we are and how we fit into social fabric * Has two side : can hide much as it reveals and help us create a public face * Lady gaga : he masks and clothes hide part of her but also reveals her identity that she wishes to show * Special clothes are associated with imp rituals * Bunu : believes that the special clothes are kind of womb, enveloping the body as like a fetus is being born. Clothing only wears it does not die old cloth is replaces by new, as old spirits is reborn Spirit basket : * Oldest arts * In pomo community men makes the heavy basket for hunting and fishing * Women were responsible for religious baskets. * Mable mckey : was a traditional healer in pomo community and famous basket weaver in the world. Masks : * Masks are used in imp rituals wedding , funerals, hunting celebration etc * Masks are ment to ring spirit into the community lesser deities (gods) * Mask represent certain animals does not mean they worship the animal * Epa mask in Yoruba community extremely heavy show the strength require to dance with the mask and enter the adult hood with responsibility. * Carvers are usualy male Totem poles : * Very specific to each communities * Function of totem poles also varies in each tradition. * Meaning varies serve as a supporting structure or grave makers and other as a symbol for power * Most also tell stories such as historical, achievements and religious * Grizzly bear at the base holding a human represents self-preservation or survival. Moko * Maori carvings are less likely to be displayed outside the original physical context * Moko tattoos * In the beginning the women were only allowed tattoos around their lips and chin where men can have tattoos all over their face * Moko story remind the Maori people their ancestor and importance of meeting ones obligation and treating one another with respect Ancestoral House. * Marae Maori religious and social home. Site of wedding , funeral, celebration. * Authority is held by community elders where they use the space to pass n traditions, stories and arts, carving, weaving. * If the artist when wrong painting the place, they could be put to death. * Location is very imp it must be located in a place where the previous generation carried out the religious and social activities. * Whare Whakairo physical form which represents the body of the ancestor * The building is divided into body parts of the ancestor Three points and Shrine : * Some traditions are very plain, harder for an outsider to see * Three issues : * Most rituals are performed outside * Think bout the function of religious structures that are used in the rituals * What you see is not often what you get * Mbari shrine : represents the founder of the community, a great healer and was forced to flee because they were attacked by another community. Elder stands her to protects the shrine all the time. * The guard signify the change modern development Hogans * Navajo Hogan traditional living space as well as the site for many rituals. * It is the site for daily activities and some are religious and some are not * Before new Hogan is occupied a song is performed. * Known as Blessing way ceremony four divining earth, mountain woman, water woman, corn woman also the song speaks everyday things * According to them world is structure – Hogan All these things symbolizes: * Link btw past and present * Btw community and place * Btw our world and world of spirits Colonialism * Colonialism process where people from one place maintain a settlement in another and to the effects of people who were already there. * Changes include – subjugation or removal , new laws, social practices and new economy. * Power and profit are factors that drive colonialism. * Religion is also one of the reason Colombus : * He destroyed a community Arawaks * He wanted to tell him where the gold was people who gave him gold were left alive and people who didn’t were killed(by cutting hands) * Then he realized that the most valuable are the people, so he sent them back to Europe by the boat land. Genocides : * 20 million African were taken as slave and only 11 million returned * 96% od aboriginals were dead in Australia * factors of depopulation : military action, torture, starvation, suicide and slavery. * More aboriginals are killed when the Americans want more land Masters of continent : * As settler population growed the indigenous population reduced less friendly for land * Terra nullius no ones land was the phrase that European settlers used no owner ship primitive – they do not count as people Conversion : * Many converted to different religion due to colonialism * In Indonesia indigenous tradition is not recognized by lay so all are counted as muslim Loss of religion : * Europeans tried to convert them into chistianity rarely worked * Europeans used military strengeth and religion â€Å"our people is tronger because our god is stronger â€Å" * Missionaries. * Also sometimes the colonial government made the indigenous religion illegal * Eg : potlatch and sundance was made illegal –? Die to the felf harm and economic hardship is potlatch(poverty) * Colonialism lead to patriarchy The potlatch : * Feast that are hosted by a family and hosting family presents the guests with gifts * Demonstrate hospitality and redistributing wealth. Loss of language : * Colonialism language disappeared forever * 20 languages extinct * when communities died, the languages died with them * children’s were forbidden to speak their own languages â€Å"Stolen generation† Loss of Land: * Many religious and indigenous land were taken and was destroyed * Two problems that non-indigenous people had: * Very common belief, no specific belief and are mostly about practice * Religion such as Christians can pray anywhere but indigenous people had to pray at a specific site Identity : (the sympols of indeginous people in sports) * Cleveland Indians play at Atlanta braves : it’s a reminder of ongoing colonialism that has been taken from the indigenous people. * Indigenous oriented names : â€Å"eskimo pie† to market the products evoke a primitive stereotype that is best suited for the product *.

Anthropology Research Paper Topics and Ideas

Anthropology Research Paper Topics and Ideas Even though in the modern world anthropology is usually underestimated as a science and a significant source of information, it is necessary to mention that anthropology is a complex knowledge of different cultures, traditions, and societies. Besides, one should remember that anthropology also combines such studies as history, sociology, and even linguistics. Therefore, anthropology is a complex study of past and present societies, their culture, and behavior. Unsurprisingly, anthropology covers every aspect of human life because it focuses on culture, which, in its turn, has a superb impact on the way people live, behave, and even build relationships. Moreover, anthropology provides a larger picture of what was going on in this or that society centuries ago. It is very easy to turn anthropological research in a fun and interesting task. To be more precise, the key to writing an effective anthropological paper is choosing the topic or idea you would like to explore. Taking into account the fact that anthropology deals with numerous aspects of human life, it is a simple thing to do. At the same time, one should consider getting aware of the historical context of the epoch he or she will be discovering and describing, as historical events are vitally important for the in-depth understanding of any society or culture. For instance, it is advisable to use historical records and even artifacts depending on the topic of your research. Topic and Ideas for Anthropological Research Paper Below you can find the examples of topics for the anthropological research paper: 1. Interpretation of Greeting Gestures in Chinese and American Cultures This topic is especially interesting as more and more Chinese people move to the US. They have to adjust to the new culture and, what is more, even to adopt new gestures to express themselves. In this research paper, you can dwell on the history of this or that gesture in both cultures and try to explain how they originated and preserved throughout the centuries. 2. Kissing Traditions in Western and Eastern Societies This topic presupposes detailed research of different societies, which gives you a wide range of cultures to choose from. For example, you can start with mentioning that a long intimate kiss is usually associated with French kissing culture. Besides, you can say that humans are the only mammals that kiss and explain the emotional and cultural meaning of a kiss in the chosen societies. 3. The Changing Views on Marriage in Asia Asian societies are widely considered traditional and even old-fashioned when it comes to such things as marriage and family. Nevertheless, all of them undergo the effects of globalization and the Internet. Even though Asian people tend to stick to old rules, there are plenty of those, who neglect these rules and resist the cultural norms. For example, in Japan, women do not already feel that they must get married and start a family. Still, the country is trying to resolve the issue of the ever-increasing levels of loneliness among its residents. 4. The Reasons behind the Worldwide Popularity of Faux Fur Undoubtedly, the main reason why faux fur wins markets all over the world is the fact that no animals have to be killed to make a beautiful, high-quality piece of clothing. However, you can also talk about the original function of the fur, and the change of its perception over time. That is, apart from keeping one warm, fur was also viewed as a symbol of poverty and wealth, which are not that crucial nowadays. 5. The Impact of Latin Language on Ancient Greek and Roman Cultures Here you can describe the role of the Latin language for the development of both Greek and Roman cultures. For instance, how the Latin Language has become the language of literature and all the documents, which forced all the people to learn it and communicate with each other using this language only. Moreover, you can also talk about how the Latin language became the base for the development of other European languages and cultures. 6. The Traces of Aztec, Incas, and Mayas Cultures in the Cultures of Modern Latin American Sources This research paper requires a lot of work as you should get familiar with both ancient cultures and modern ones. It is highly recommended to compare and contrast ancient and modern paintings, themes in literature, and celebrations of major holidays. 7. Similarities and Differences between Modern Slavic Groups In this anthropological paper, you can choose a few aspects to dwell on such as languages, history, culture, and even the beginnings of state. It is essential to study the history of the development and growth of a particular Slavic group since it originated. 8. Role of Women in Ancient Egypt and Modern Egypt It is surprising that Ancient Egypt was one of the first countries, where women had any rights. However, the modern-day country is an Islamic one, which means that women have almost no rights there. In this paper, you can discuss what factors contributed to such a transition over time. 9. Scandinavian Minimalism vs. American Consuming It is quite provocative and, at the same time, a challenging topic for anthropological research. Apart from talking about the history of these countries and factors that led to the establishment of minimalistic and consumer lifestyles, you can also describe how these trends are viewed in the rest of the world. 10. Floral and Animal Prints in the Clothing of Native American Tribes For writing a successful research paper on this topic, you might consider visiting some exhibitions dedicated to the life and art of Native American tribes. Without a doubt, nature was vitally important for Indians, and they highly respected both flora and fauna. While some tribes were more connected to the plants, others were more connected to the animals, which they were showing by decorating their clothing accordingly. 11. Impact of the Roman Catholic Church on the Development of Architecture and Sculpture During the Middle Ages In the middle ages, the church was the center of religion, politics, social life, and even arts. That is, Church was the organization that sponsored and paid for decorating not only churches all over the Catholic world but also the private houses and mansions of the clergy. Therefore, you can choose a few interesting buildings and churches and talk about their history and people, who took part in constructing and decorating them. 12. Immigrants in America: 17th and 21st Century For this paper, you may want to look for the documents about the exploration of America and the first residents of the new country. That is, back in the 17th century, everybody was welcomed in the newly discovered rich land. On the contrary, in the 21st century, the ever-increasing rates of migration can become a problem for the Americans. 13. Social Attitudes Towards Monarchs in Great Britain and the Netherlands This anthropological research essay will examine public opinion about monarch families in two rich, powerful, and flourishing European countries. Consequently, you may need data from national polls regarding monarchs, their rulings, and even interactions with common people. 14. Why India? Hollywood vs. Bollywood Such a comparison of two large movie industries will depend greatly on your ability to find out the factors that made both the US and Hindi movie products so popular all over the world. Apart from discussing Hollywood and Bollywood from historical and financial perspectives, you may also talk about the perception of American and Hindi movies in other countries of the world. 15. Why Latin Pop Songs Are Taking over the World In this paper, first of all, you will have to talk about the growing number of Spanish-speaking people in the world. No wonder that more and more people pick Latin pop songs comparing to American ones. However, you can also mention particularly Latin characteristics of these songs such as festivity, carnival rhythms, and even the look of the singers. 16. Twitter and Politics: The Impact of Social Media on the Popularity and Trustworthiness of Major Political Figures of the World In the 21st century, it is a common thing that politicians all over the world use social media to engage with their electorate. However, the reaction and perception of politicians through Twitter (one of the most popular social platforms among politicians) vary greatly from country to country. You may consider comparing the content of the tweets of American and European politicians. 17. Piercing in India and Western Countries While piercing is usually associated with teenagers and different subcultures, in India, it is an ancient tradition. You may explore the meaning and history of piercing in India (especially wedding traditions) and the spread of piercing culture in major European and American countries. 18. Why an Average Young Person Travels Several Times More Comparing to His or Her Parents Even though modern youngsters tend to have more possibilities and even finances to travel, it is not the main reason behind taking a trip at least twice a year. In fact, the change of cultures and the way of thinking of current and previous generations encourage young people to discover new places since their teenage years. 19. Social Perception of Drugs: Medication or Entertainment? For discussing this topic, you will have to focus on the history of drugs and their use throughout the history of the world. It is a wide-known fact that many centuries ago drugs were mainly seen as a medication. Nevertheless, nowadays, they are accessible to almost everybody either legally or illegally. 20. The Issue of an Aging Society in Europe and the USA An aging society is one of the problems that threaten the future of developed countries. As the residents of these countries get older, there are no young people to replace them at their working places. In such a research paper, you may discover the reasons behind such a situation and the ways to resolve it. Conclusion To sum up, an anthropological research essay requires excellent analytical, research, and even creative things. Picking an interesting topic for your research paper in anthropology is much easier as you can imagine. However, you should remember to use reliable sources and, sometimes, even artifacts that represent this or that culture or society. The anthropological research paper does not necessarily have to focus on the culture or traditions. Fortunately, there are many ideas about possible topics beginning from the impact of social networks and ending up with the peculiarities of human relationships in different societies. Finally, anthropological research papers are a great way to find out more about the world, its past, and groups of people that inhabited it throughout history.

Transition Questions on ACT English Strategies and Practice

Transition Questions on ACT English Strategies and Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Transitions are one of the most common and trickiest rhetorical topics tested on the ACT English section. However, there are a couple simple rules that can make answering these questions much easier. In this post, I'll cover everything you need to know to approach all three types of transition question: Types of transitional relationships Transitions between sentences Transitions between clauses Transitions between paragraphs Key strategies for transitions on ACT English questions Feature image credit: Justin Kern, via Flickr, under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 3 Types of Transitions The ACT covers three basic transitional relationships: addition, contrast, and causation. Understanding how these relationships work will be very helpful for the test. Addition: Words like "also" and "moreover" that indicate continuation of or elaboration on a thought. Contrast: Words like "however" and "still" that introduce a conflicting point or idea. Causation: Words like "so" and "because" that indicate a causal relationship. Let's look at some examples in context: Addition: Dorian Gray couldn't be killed. In addition, he never aged. Contrast: Vanessa knew Ethan was a werewolf. However, she was unconcerned. Causation: Frankenstein's monster threatened to hurt him if he didn't build the monster a mate, so Frankenstein did as he was told. Keep in mind that not every transition falls into one of these categories. They're more what you'd call guidelines, than actual rules. Nonetheless, thinking about transitions in these terms can help you pick out the right answer on ACT English questions, as you'll see below. Transitions Between Sentences The most common type of transition question on the ACT deals with picking the correct transition word to place between two sentences. For example: Malcom and Sam were best friends. Even so, they spent every moment of the day together. Something about this transition doesn't quite make sense. "Even so" is a contrast transition, but these to sentences aren't opposed to each other: if Malcom and Sam are best friends, it makes perfect sense that they would spend every day together. Instead it would make more sense to use a causation transition, or even drop the transition word completely: Malcom and Sam were best friends. As such, they spent every moment of the day together. Malcom and Sam were best friends. They spent every moment of the day together. We're going to cover a step-by-step approach, key transition words, and some helpful ACT English tips for questions about connecting sentences. Step-by-Step Approach Let's got through how to approach sentence transition questions step-by-step: #1: Cross out the underlined word. Always start by crossing out the word that’s there. Otherwise, if it's not obviously wrong, you may be biased in favor of the original phrasing. #2: Read to the end of the sentence. You should be doing this on every question, but it's especially important here to make sure you understand how the two sentences are related to each other. #3: Does anything seem obviously necessary/correct? Sometimes you'll read the two sentences and immediately recognize what word you would use- that specific transition may not be a choice, but you can look for synonyms. #4: What type of relationship is it? Addition, contrast, or causation? If you're not sure, it can be helpful to think about whether you would connect the sentences with and (addition), but (contrast), or so/because (contrast). #5: Narrow down your choices. Once you have a sense of what you're looking for, rule out any answers that don't make sense or that aren't grammatical. #6: Plug answer into sentence to check. When you think you have the answer, plug it into the sentence and make sure the transition is logical. We'll walk through this process with an example shortly, but first let's go over some key words and strategies that you need to know. Key Words Transitions between sentences are generally conjunctive adverbs, like "however" and "furthermore," or prepositional phrases, like "for example" and "on the other hand." You can see the most common ones below, sorted by type. Introducing Sentences Addition Contrast Causation Also However Thus Moreover On the other hand As such In fact Nonetheless Therefore Furthermore Nevertheless Consequently In addition Still As a result Similarly Instead Indeed Despite this In conclusion Meanwhile In other words Finally Next Likewise Then For example As I mentioned above, not every question will involve these types of transitions. Occasionally, you'll see other phrases or adverbs, like "in general" or unfortunately," or constructions that are specific to the context. You may also see options that are grammatically incorrect. These will generally be coordinating or subordinating conjunctions (see the chart below for examples), which can't be used immediately before a comma to introduce a complete sentence. Helpful Tips Beyond the basic concepts we've discussed, there are some ACT English-specific tips that can really help you approach transition questions. If two choices are synonyms, neither is correct. If two of the words mean the same thing (they must be synonyms, not just belong to the same category), there's no way to choose between them, so neither can be correct. When you see two choices that are synonyms, rule them both out. If one of the choices omits the transition word altogether, that's usually the correct answer. Always check any answer that leaves the transition word out first- if the paragraph works without it, that's the right answer. Transition words don't necessarily come at the beginning of the sentence. Sometimes, for example, you'll see them moved into a sentence like this one. keep in mind that they must be surrounded by commas and can't be used to connect two independent clauses without a period or semicolon. Don't panic if the three categories don't apply. Not every question deals with transitions that fit into the categories outlined above. Simply use the rest of the strategy (thinking about how the two sentences are related, narrowing down choices that don't make sense, and then plugging in the answer you think is right to check) to pick out the best answer. Watch out for questions that ask for the LEAST acceptable option. Make sure to use process of elimination to rule out any answer that does work. Real ACT Practice Question We've covered a lot of material on transitions- let's put it into practice on a real ACT question. This example is a case where the transition has been shifted into the sentence, but we'll approach it in the same way. The first step is to look at the two sentences without the transition: Snowflakes form from tiny water droplets, following a specific process of chemical bonding as they freeze, which results in a six-sided figure. The rare "triangular" snowflake confounded scientists for years because it apparently defied the basic laws of chemistry. Does an obvious transition jump out at you? Not really. On to the next question! How are these sentences related to each other? The first sentence describes how snowflakes are formed. The second brings up a seeming exception to that rule. This relationship is contrasting. Rule out answers that don't work. "Additionally" and "similarly" are too similar to choose between, so both must be wrong. "For example" doesn't make sense, since the second sentence is actually about an exception to the rule laid out in the first, not an example of it. Plug in the remaining choice. We have only "however," which is a contrast transition, left. Let's try it out in context: Snowflakes form from tiny water droplets, following a specific process of chemical bonding as they freeze, which results in a six-sided figure. The rare "triangular" snowflake, however, confounded scientists for years because it apparently defied the basic laws of chemistry. That transition makes sense, so J must be the correct answer. Image credit: Arjan Almekinders, via Flickr, under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Transitions Between Clauses Questions dealing with transitions between clauses are very similar to those about transitions between sentences, so you can use the same approach. However, these questions involve a different set of transition words: coordinating and subordinating conjunctions. Connecting Clauses Addition Contrast Causation And But So Yet Because Unless Since While As Though Such that Although Whereas Otherwise You may see questions that mix up the different types of transitions and attempt to use a conjunction for connecting clauses to introduce a sentence or a conjunctive adverb to connect two clauses- these answers will be incorrect. Issues with transitions between clauses may also be tested in conjunction with correctly connecting independent clauses, so watch out for punctuation as well. (For more details on connecting independent clauses, check out our post on run-ons and fragments.) Let's use the strategy above to answer a real ACT example that asks about transitions between clauses: First we have to look at the underlined word and answer choices and recognize that these subordinating conjunctions, so this a question about connecting clauses and not sentences. Next, let's cut out the current transition word and break the sentence into its two component clauses (I'm also going to eliminate the descriptor at the end for simplicity): There's not much chance that a seven-year-old just learning the game can hit a pitched baseball The umpire puts the ball on top of a stationary tee Does an obvious transition jump out at you? I would use "so" or "because" to connect these two ideas. How are these sentences related to each other? Those transitions jump out at me because the idea in the first clause (that a seven-year-old can't hit a pitched baseball) clearly leads to the solution in the second (putting the ball on a tee). This connection is a causal relationship. Rule out answers that don't work. Neither "while" nor "although" can work because they're interchangeable (and both contrast transitions). "Unless" doesn't make sense. Plug in the remaining choice. Process of elimination leaves only "since," which is a causation transition. Looking at the sentence as written, we can see that it makes sense, so A is the correct answer. Transitions Between Paragraphs The final type of transition question deals with transitions between paragraphs. Rather than asking about a specific word or phrase, these usually deal with full sentences and will be phrased similarly to the following examples: Given that all of the choices are true, which one would most effectively introduce the main idea of this paragraph? Which of the following sentences offers the best introduction to this paragraph? The exact phrasing may vary, but these types of questions always ask about "transition" or "introduction." Step-by-Step Approach Because it's impossible to predict the content of an entire paragraph, it's vital that you use process of elimination for questions that ask about transitions between paragraphs. Here's a step-by-step approach to help you narrow down your choices. #1:Pay attention to what the question is asking for. Though many of these questions simply ask for the sentence that provides the best transition or introduction, some may give a more specific. Make sure to read the question carefully and think about what it's asking. #2: Read into the paragraph at least a couple of sentences. Ideally, you'll read the whole paragraph before answering transition questions, but you absolutely must read at least one sentence after the first to get a sense of the context. #3: Keep in mind types of transitional relationships. Though most of these questions don't involve transition words, it can still be helpful to consider whether there's a clear contrasting or causal relationship. #4: Look for anything that needs to be introduced because it's referred back to later in the paragraph. In the subsequent sentences, look out for pronouns like this and these that reference ideas or nouns that need to be introduced in the first sentence. This will often be the best hint for the correct answer. #5: Narrow down the choices. Rule out answers that don’t make sense or don’t fit with the general tone of the passage. #6: Plug in the sentence you think works best. When you've eliminated three choices, read the last answer in context and check that it makes sense. Not all of these steps will apply to every question- the important thing is to think about these ideas as you work to rule out choices. Real ACT Practice Question Let's walk through how to approach a paragraph transition question from a real ACT. What is the question asking for? The best transition between the paragraphs. Read both paragraphs. The first paragraph describes Quezada's discovery of and interest in the ancient pots. The second paragraph details his attempts to recreate them. Is there anything referenced later in the paragraph that needs to be introduced? The sentence that currently opens the paragraph mentions "the clay" without really explaining which clay it's talking about. Narrow down choices. We can immediately rule out F, because it's about the town and not the pottery, which is the topic of these two paragraphs. G and J are both relevant to the topic of the ancient pottery, but neither makes sense as a transition. The patterns are initially described earlier in the passage, and Quezada's painting doesn't come up until later in the second paragraph. Plug in the remaining option. Let's look at the passage with H, the only remaining option, plugged in. Fascinated by geometric designs, Quezada wondered if he could make pots like these. Quezada began working with clay from the mountains. He dug the clay, soaked it, and tried to shape it into a pot. The underlined sentence makes sense as a transition, so H is the correct answer. Image credit: Carlos Bryant, via Flickr, under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Summary of Key Strategies for Transitions on ACT English Though transition questions can vary pretty widely, you should always use process of elimination to narrow down the possibilities. I've rounded up the most important tips from the in depth discussion above. Consider the type of transitional relationship. Thinking about how the sentences or paragraphs are related to each other is key to understanding how best to transition between them. Read the question carefully. Any time there's a written out question, make sure you know what it's asking for- don't make assumptions. Similarly, make sure you always read enough of the passage to understand the context. Use multiple choice to your advantage: If two answers are synonyms, neither is correct. If one answer has no transition word, that’s usually the correct one. Plug in the answer you think is best to check. Always make sure that an answer makes in context. If nothing else, this technique will help keep you from picking answers that indicate the right type of transition, but don't fit into the sentence grammatically. What's Next Transitions are sometimes tested in conjunction with sentence structure and punctuation, so make sure you read our complete guide to commas and our post on other punctuation marks. If you're struggling with the rhetorical skills questions, take a look at our guides on redundancy and author technique. For more big picture strategies, be sure you know the best way to approach ACT English passages and the 5 critical concepts you need to ace the test. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Why You Should Not Follow Your Passion

Why You Should Not Follow Your Passion Who would ever suggest that you should not follow your passion on your blog?  Surely this post is about to commit some kind of blogging sacrilege. But bear with me. Passion about blogging is an admirable thing. We are passionate about it here; thats why we build . But when it comes to the actual content marketing and writing, you might do well to be cautious about letting your passion be your guide. Why Passion Can Be Dangerous It seems to go against the zeitgeist of content marketing now, suggesting that you might approach passion cautiously. But passion can be deceptive and can get you into trouble if it is what youve based your entire blogs existence on. Passion is the quickest to develop, and the quickest to fade. – Robert Sternberg 1. Passion Isnt Always Consistent Passion is like the moon; it waxes and wanes (though not as consistently). When you only blog what youre passionate about, youll find you might have 10 posts in one week and then nothing for a month. If passion is your sole motivation and guide, youll never make it blogging. Youll start, but not finish. Youll be inspired once in a while, and flounder the rest of the time. 2. Passion Gets Bored Are you passionate about getting in shape? After months at the gym, if passion is your only motivation, youll get tired of the repetition. Passion quickly gets bored with how things are. Passion is too often motivated by measurable results. It isnt always interested in the day-to-day building blocks; it prefers the exotic dream, the what if. 3. Passion Is Inspired By Big Moments Passion is motivated by Big Moments. It is motivated by the day you lose 60 pounds, or the day you close the deal at work. Its motivated by the thought of getting 500,000 visitors to your blog every day. It isnt motivated by the unsexy work it takes to get to those big events.

The Role of Social Media in Branding in the UK Dissertation

The Role of Social Media in Branding in the UK - Dissertation Example This research seeks to investigate social media and critically outline its characteristics in an attempt to define its role in branding. This research will specifically be confined within the United Kingdom. An investigation on social media either within the academic sources or over the Internet would reveal numerous and diverse definitions. Since its invention back in the 1980s, the Internet has rapidly evolved with the equally robust advances in information and communication technologies that enabled it to achieve the speed, coverage and accessibility crucial in the introduction and real-time delivery of rich media content, sophisticated web applications and systems. This development has allowed the Internet to become a major component of the strategies and platforms by which business enterprises operate. The social networking website is one of such breakthroughs. Friendster, MySpace, Facebook, Blogspot/Blogger and Twitter are some of the most popular forms of this Internet applica tion/system. By the year 2000, the usage of this web system exploded to billions of users combined. Facebook alone, through the analytics tool provided by Google Ad Planner, has more than 600 million users worldwide and 25 million of these are British. (Google 2011) The statistics is further reinforced by the fact that the website has 770 billion page views and 23-hour average visitor use. (Google 2011) If one has to consider the users of other social networking websites that are popular across the World Wide Web, the staggering figure could reach up to 1 billion. Facebook is, in fact predicted to achieve its one-billionth user by next year. (Business Wire 2007) In the British experience the figures are as impressive. For example, the percentage of social media users jumped from 22 percent four years ago to 44 percent in 2009 and approximately 35 percent of these users logging on to their favorite social networking site(s) at least once every week. (Shayon, 2010) The significance of these developments and figures for advertising and branding is tremendous. As a communications technology, social media has the power to influence individuals and groups. The humungous number of social media users highlights the degree of its import. Research Objectives This research seeks to investigate social media and critically outline its characteristics in an attempt to define its role in branding. This research will specifically be confined within the United Kingdom. To this end, the following goals would be pursued: Define and explain social media; Explain how social media can enhance branding; Identify emerging branding techniques within the social media sphere; Identify and explain existing cases of successful branding undertaken through or with the help of social media in the UK experience; Pitfalls and limitations of the social media in the branding context; Outline potentials and future development of the technology in the context of its role in brand building in the U K. What is Social Networking? An investigation on social media either within the academic sources or over the Internet would reveal numerous and diverse definitions. For this study’s purposes, the term social media would follow Paul Clark’s general assumption which explains social media as the ultimate democracy of expression, one that is â€Å"typified by e-mails, blogs, podcasts, video- and photo-sharing, voice-over IP, message forums and boards, and wikis† constituting some form of organic conversation that involved the production and access of contents by individuals using computers and the web. (Clark, 2010) Social networking websites such as Facebook can be an amalgamation of these social media elements and web applications. For example, they may offer their users photo and video-sharing services, blog/micro blogging functionalities, messaging/chat applications, boards and mail systems. The point is that the web is in constant flux and applications and fun ctionalities are often being developed and integrated in order to provide richer and more complete

The Flight from Conversation by Sherry Turkle Essay

The Flight from Conversation by Sherry Turkle - Essay Example The researcher states that Sherry Turkle says that people assume the constant connection to digital devices is similar to having a real conversation but this is not the case. In her analyses, she feels that people have forgotten the value of face-to-face communication to grow as individuals. This creates a sense of loneliness even if one is connected to many people through technology; hence, it remains a lonely situation because there is no deep connection and trust built through online contacts. I partially agree with Turkle’s opinion because the constant use of technology has reduced the need for face-to-face conversations. Turkles argues that technology today has engulfed every part of people’s lives and face-to-face relations are already forgotten. It is clear that at home, at work, among friends, and anywhere people are the habit of â€Å"alone together† is more appreciated. This means that people do not meet with each other but connect through mobile phones and other digital devices only a scenario where people are with each other and elsewhere at the same time connected through technology. Turkle asserts that the young people are especially engulfed with technology without taking time to relate through oral conversations. Nevertheless, they are not the only ones, as Turkle claims that even business people, mothers at home, and even children we are all consumed with technology â€Å"each of us is in our own bubble†. Turkle believes that this behavior is rampant because people like to be in control, just pay attention to only what they want, and manage the communication. She argues that face to face communication develops slowly, requires patient, and one is not in control, even in instances when it becomes boring, therefore, many try to avoid it. People assume that in the real world nobody listens, while technology like social media connects a person to many others. In this way, people feel they will be heard, focus on what the y want, and do have to be lonely. Turkle posits that this technology separates people instead of uniting them and therefore, it is important to start listening to one another. Critical Evaluation I largely agree with Turkle that technology has engulfed the society and has changed how people communicate since it is common to see people with cell phones all the time while eating, reading, and in social events. It is true that technology separates people because by being engaged with the technological devices such as phones or computers all the time implies that one has less time connecting with people in the real world. The mode of communication a decade ago is extremely different from modern times considering that chatting and emailing especially on social media is a common norm for many people whether in workplaces, in school, or even at home. Young people are especially vulnerable to technology since they have grown in an era where technology is everywhere, and to make it worse sti ll many of these kids search for homework material or assignments from the internet and not in books. Group discussions are less common today in school than it was years ago because many would rather be on their iPads. Personally, being one of the users of technology in many aspects of my life, I always carry my cell phone everywhere I go to ensure that I do not miss a call, tweet or a text from friends. Having a cell phone is a usual habit for many people since it is easy to use, convenient, and above all, it is always available when needed.

Physical Chemistry Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Physical Chemistry - Lab Report Example Technically, incorporation of lead into the brass increases the mechanical properties the alloy. On the other hand, substantial concentration of copper imparts germicidal and antimicrobial properties into the brass alloyi. In laboratory settings, methods used to quantitatively determine the amounts of heavy elements in alloys include Gravimetric analysis, Anodic Stripping Voltammetry, and Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy among others. Each of these quantitative determination methods possesses particular advantages, setbacks, and accuracy and precision levels. In the experiment, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy was used to measure the amounts of lead and copper in brass. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy is a versatile quantitative technique capable of analyzing presence of over 70 elements. Technically, this technique functions by exploiting the atomization properties in form of electronic transition of elements’ atoms in gaseous phases. After atomization, light absorption level of atoms is detected and Beer’s law of absorbance vs. concentration is used to determine the quantity of analytes in the atomized samples. Besides Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy, the experiment employed Gravimetric analysis in the determination of lead in brass. Despite being one of the oldest methods in quantitative analysis, the gravimetric technique remains accurate and precise when used for determination of metals with insoluble salts like lead. Finally, the experiment employed Anodic Stripping Voltammetry in determination of copper. Anodic Stripping Voltammetry relies on the electric conductivity of analytes, and is specifically suited for quantitative analysis of minute traces of heavy metalsii. Subsequent sections of this lab report contain procedural steps, results and discussions pertaining to application of the three aforementioned quantitative determination techniques. Based on theoretical procedures provided, stock solutions of unknown brass,

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the recent European Union Essay

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the recent European Union treaties such as the Treaty of Amsterdam, the Treaty fo Nice, and the EU Constitution, which w - Essay Example Membership in the European Union is advantageous to all members because the EU represents the best of the European democratic tradition and is an expression of its constituent members. As a multinational organization, the EU represents various national interests within an overarching political framework. The EU is a multilateral organization which operates on the basis of negotiation between member states and relies on collective decision making to achieve its ends. Members are joined together and bound by treaties signifying their participation within the larger EU political framework. The political decisions of member-states are thus constrained by their allegiance and signatory status to overarching EU treaties (Almond et al. 455-6). Although it has not always been the case, modern-day Europe is characterized by a unifying democratic political culture. While the concept of democracy originated on its shores, the philosophy of democratic governance was challenged in 20th century Europe by authoritarian political movements, including fascism (expressed by Nazi Germany & Mussolini’s Italy), and communism (as exemplified in Eastern Europe during the Cold War). With Allied victory in World War II and the collapse of the Soviet Union, democracy became a universal trend amongst European states. In fact liberal democracy, best expressed by the states of Western Europe with entrenched democratic traditions, is quickly becoming the standard for the continent (Almond et al. 26-53). Democratic norms and rules have subsequently been established through a pan-European legal framework, the European Union. Two early treaties established the normative, and inherently democratic, framework for today’s EU. The Treaty of Rome, signed in March of 1957, proposed a common European economic market throughout the European Economic Community.

Reporting for the Media News Writing Assignment Essay

Reporting for the Media News Writing Assignment - Essay Example The stories can also be divided into hard news, soft news, feature, and editorial. Media news process basically consists of planning, researching, and writing (Media Awareness Network, 2010). In the process of completing the news story, the company selected is Coca Cola. The four primary sources that will help in completing the story regarding budget scenario at Coca Cola are going to be finance committee members, president of the particular business segment related to budget section, chief executive officer and chief financial officer. Also there going to be six secondary sources for taking the interview. They are going to be officers in general management, supply chain management, food service management, and strategy and business development, brand marketing, strategic growth officer as well as global marketing manager (The Coca Cola Company, 2009). The above mentioned sources form the core part of budget related decision making. Therefore, their point of view is crucial in preparing the news story. Finance committee is generally responsible for preparing a budget of company. The committee helps the board members and higher authority of the company to discover the facts and figures associated with a budget plan. Also, they make the board and decision making authority like chief financial officer aware of previous year’s budget and also the areas that are going to need looking after in preparing the budget. The committee prepares a review of the capital expenditures, budget operations, and financial operations. They also recommend about the dividend policy (The Coca Cola Company, 2009). The budget related information then is streamlined to decision making authority like chief financial officers, chief executive officers and the president. They all are part of the decision making authority regarding budget allocation like which department should get main importance in preparation of budget. Therefore for preparing the news story